The Prophet Malachi

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WE have had Israel individualized, so to speak, in Abraham; then as a family in Jacob; again, as a nation under Moses and the judges; as a kingdom, too, under David and Solomon; then as dispersed under Nebuchadnezzar; and lastly, as restored under Ezra and Nehemiah, but subject to Gentile rule and authority. Here then we have the last glimpse afforded us in the Old Testament of the moral condition of Judah, or rather of the remnants, who under Cyrus and Artaxerxes, returned to the land, re-peopling, Jerusalem and the cities of Judah―a return attended by circumstances most fair and promising, as the civil (Nehemiah) and ecclesiastical (Ezra) historians of these times witness. What a moral picture of indifference to Jehovah, to His love and interests is here unfolded!
Jehovah opens this last expostulation with His people by declaring His unchangeable love, towards them, yes, and His sovereign choice of them instead of Esau. Oh! His grace. He condescends to appeal to the treacherous heart of Judah, to reason with the hardened conscience of His people; but, alas! the pleadings of divine love fell on listless and indifferent souls. Priests and people were alike. The spirit of reasoning upon the divine claims is simply infidelity, and that in its worst state, because perpetrated by the professing people of God (chapter 1). The priests who should have morally linked up the nation with Jehovah, and borne its sins and necessities around the altars and in the divine presence, are here seen as Judah’s leaders in evil, “causing many to stumble at the law;” moreover, they had by their wickedness practically divorced Judah from the LORD, the God of Israel (chapter 2). In chapter 3:1 Jehovah of the Old Testament is identified with Christ of the New Testament, whose messenger or forerunner was John Baptist (Luke 1:7676And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways; (Luke 1:76)). The two last chapters form the third section of the book. Here we have a remnant within―a little feeble flock who feared the Lord, and spake often one to another. What a God is ours! He bottles our tears and engraves our names in His book of everlasting remembrance. All Christians are treasure to Him Now (Matt. 13:4444Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. (Matthew 13:44)); but the despised God-fearing remnant will be His special treasure (see margin) THEN (Mal. 3:16, 1716Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name. 17And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. (Malachi 3:16‑17)). If the Jews had received the King and His messenger, John Baptist would have been Elias to come Israel’s moral reformer―before the day of Jehovah (Luke 1:1717And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. (Luke 1:17) Matt. 11:1414And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come. (Matthew 11:14)). The third chapter is past fulfillment; the fourth is wholly future. The messenger (chap. 3:1) has come in the person of John Baptist, whatever fuller application there may be; but Elijah (chap. 4:5) has yet to come, after the translation of the Church to the heavens, and before the day of Jehovah sets in. This book closes the canon of Old Testament Scripture.